Once upon a time, tennis wear was a cool outfit to wear in town.
What kind of clothes will be lined up for the first season of "Set In"?
Arai:Basically, you can wear any clothes to play tennis. Nakamuro's theme in my mind is tennis wear that doesn't require a changing room. So there is no need to change clothes. The design is functional, including the fabric, and incorporates ideas of what I would like to see when I play.
Arai:Take this blazer, for example. The fabric is made of wool and synthetic fibers and is very light. The sewing is also made to casual specifications, so that the blazer can be worn casually.
Arai:For the pants, we made chinos using a polyester fabric that looks like cotton and has a calm impression. They are designed with a tucked-in design like old-fashioned tennis wear. . But the waist is easy to tighten with a drawcord. The spindles are in the shape of tennis grips, a little playful detail (laughs).
I feel that such small details are very characteristic of you, Mr. Arai.
Arai:I think you may be right (laughs). The pants are designed to hold a lot of tennis balls. I designed this with the image of a ball boy in mind, but most tennis wear can only hold about six balls. But if you are not a good player, you run out of balls quickly. This item was designed to hold as many balls as possible. In everyday life, it could hold a smartphone or other daily necessities.
When I look around the lineup, the silhouettes are generally loose-fitting, aren't they?
Arai:It has an affinity with today's fashion and is the antithesis of current tennis wear. Tennis wear is made very tight nowadays.
. Considering the competitive nature of the game, I think that's a good thing.
Arai:In the 90's and 2000's, everyone was a little bigger and had a classic silhouette. It's a very personal thing, but I admired that. Tennis wear nowadays is sportswear, but tennis wear in the old days was something you could wear on the street.
I see.
Arai:If "Set-In" clothes were to be displayed in a sports store, people might just think they are too big. But I think that's okay. I would like to gradually change the common sense. I would like people to gradually recognize that there is such a brand.
You mentioned earlier that you "look at tennis from the world of fashion," and I think that your perspective as a former tennis player is very important when it comes to "set-in. I think that is what makes you so persuasive.
Arai:I think this is something only I can do. I played tennis. When someone who has not played tennis creates a project, he or she can only see things from a narrow perspective, and what comes out will be very small and compact. . However, I was a serious tennis player, and I have seen a certain amount of tennis, so I think there is a big difference between the two.
You have a wide range of printed items such as T-shirts and sweatshirts.
Arai:. We asked S.I., who is a regular customer of ours, to do this for us. He also created the brand logo. Having Mr. S.I. on the team has made graphics a definite asset for "set-in. Whenever I ask him for advice on what I want to do, he takes my intentions into consideration and draws the best possible graphics. It is very important to have someone with whom you can share your feelings, and S.I.M. is the one and only designer who can make that happen. In the future, I would like to work not only with S.I., but also with people who have been my guests.
Isn't it great that you are now able to work on such projects in your own field?
Arai:Yes, that's right. I have the opportunity to do a lot of things, and I see only possibilities. Instead of running on the rails that have been laid out for me, I want to set things in motion, and I will make it a brand that aims for the path I want to take. . I plan to do the same with apparel, and also in the area of "kotos" (things that are sent out).
